IF YOU CANT STAND THE HEAT, STAY OUT OF THE RINK

DBO RINK SOCCER AND SFX UNITY CUP DRAWS HELD

With innovative and smile inducing team names like Nameless Blameless, Gummy, Jeehad, What?, Who?, Deadly 7, and  Casanovas, along with a cocktail of intoxicating teams like Tequila Shots, Feni 7 and  Urrak -7, the draw of the 2012 edition of  DBO Rink Soccer tournament was held at the IEAS (Indian English Academic School) Salmiya on last Thursday, in the presence of a large number of noisy and enthusiastic  soccer fans.

DBO Rink Soccer draw in progress

This year’s annual Ramadan tournament organized by Don Bosco Oratory promises to be a notch higher with quite a few changes made in the tournament rules to ensure more thrills for the spectators as well as players with changes in penalty and corner rules, larger goal posts, and a bigger scoring area.   It was also quite evident seeing  hordes of teenagers who attended the draw that this year the tournament has caught the fancy of the young  Messis and Ronaldos who have grown up in the mannerism and hype of their favorite superstars and who will find the Rink the perfect place to try out their fancy footwork and moves.

The young Messis & Ronaldos

Of course the young pretenders will have to first face the stiff challenge of qualifying to the next round  in a complicated draw where the 24 participating teams have been divided into six groups and the top four from some groups will qualify directly for the quarters while some will have to battle it out in a pre-quarters round.  Last year’s champions ‘Mumbaikar’ along with ‘Urrak 7’ ‘Feni 7’ KIH, and veteran former champions  ‘Casanovas’ (formally Showmen)   are expected to give the youngsters a run for their money, and one can expect some great battles between the young , the old and those in between.

Alexandro and Liston of DBO explaining the change in rules

The draw was professionally organized in the presence of Rev. Fr. Francis Kharjia the school Director and Rev. Fr. Franco Pereira Sdb the school Administrator, who both showed their support to the sport with their presence and wished the participating teams, the best of luck.

Rev. Fr. Franco Pereira Sdb addressing the gathering

 

Immediately after the DBO draw, the St. Francis Xavier Boys conducted the draw of the ‘St. Francis Xavier Unity Cup’ at the same venue.  This popular and  unique 8 a side tournament in its third edition,  will be played during the weekends at the Digital Grounds (Kuwait City) and will feature 16 teams in a knock out format and all the matches will be professionally officiated by IFRA the only qualified Indian Refereees Body in Kuwait.  The final will be held on the first day of Eid and this year the organizers are giving away large cash prizes for the winners and runners up, as well as individual prizes and medals.

SFX Unity Cup Draw 

The great thing about this tournament is that the proceeds will all go to charity and organizers consisting of Nazy Azavedo, Joe Pereira, Mariano Fernandes and Albert Pinto informed me that so far they have distributed over Rs. 230,000/- between the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol and Divya Daya Trust in Colva from the amounts collected over the past two years. 

SFX Unity Cup draw in progress

Here’s wishing the organizers of both tournaments, and the participating teams all the very best.

Schedule for SFX Tournament

Ramadan Kareem

Julio Cardoso / Kuwait 

DON BOSCO RINK SOCCER

Pool (A) KIH / SKYDEN - 7 / FC SPARKS / FENI - 7

Pool (B) MUMBAIKAR / LONGSHORTS / CROSS FIRE / TEQUILA SHOTS

Pool (C) GUMMY-B / NAMELESS BLAMELESS / REDS / CASANOVA'S / JEEHAD

Pool (D) WHAT? / GUMMY -A / TAN-7 / SSC / DEADLY -7

Pool (E) WHO? / BARCA-7 / 17 / URRAK -7 

Pool (F) ELEMENTS / TITANS/ BRAZILIANS BOYS / GAME BREAKERS

MATCHES FOR JULY 21, 2012

0615PM --- WHO v/s URRAK 7
0645PM --- GUMMY B v/s NAMELESS BLAMELESS
0715PM --- MUMBAIKAR v/s TAQUILA SHOTS
0745PM --- KIH v/s FENI 7
0815PM --- WHAT v/s GUMMY A
0845PM --- ELEMENTS v/s GAME BREAKERS
0915PM --- SSC v/s DEADLY 7

SFX UNITY CUP DRAW

Goan expats want state to host mini-NRI football World Cup

By Mayabhushan N agvenkar | IANS India Private Limited – 4 hours ago

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Panaji, July 16 (IANS) Football crazy Goan expats are rooting for the state to host a mini non-resident Indian (NRI) football 'World Cup'.

The idea, which was first mooted in 2001 is now slowly finding supporters, especially among st the Goan community settled in the Middle East, which is aggressively backing the concept.

"Football holds great interest among expatriates in Kuwait. Qatar, Dubai and Bahrain and they also conduct proper league tournaments. Not too sure about the rest of the world, but for sure teams will participate as players who are taking their vacation during that time of the year will represent their countries," said Julio Cardozo, a Goan settled in Kuwait who is the chief promoter of the concept.

When Bruno Coutinho, a former captain of the Indian football team and now a bureaucrat with the state sports ministry, visited Kuwait last month, Cardazo, along with several other friends bounced the idea of Goa hosting a regular football World Cup for NRIs.

"When Bruno Coutinho was in Kuwait, I sounded him on this matter as I feel that with genuine support from SAG (Sports Authority of Go a), we could probably have a proper tournament in Goa," Cardozo said.

"Actually, a few years back, 2001 to be precise, a mini World Cup was organized in Goa and it was initiated by a friend from Goa. Team s from Kuwait, Qatar, Dubai, Britain and Bahrain and a veteran's team representing India participated. It was a moderate success," Cardozo said, explaining how the concept was birthed.

What the expat community is now advocating is widening the scope and dimensions of the tourney in accordance with the expansion of the Goan diaspora to other countries.

"The concept would be to have NRI teams participat ing from the USA, Canada, Britain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, among others, in a league-cum-knock-out tournament in December-end or January-beginning. Invitations would have to be sent to the prominent associations representing Goans in these countries. SAG would have to support in terms

of grounds and referees. Some funds from the Government would also help," Cardozo said.

"If the rules and regulations are clear and the invitations go out from the Goa government, the tournament can be a huge success. Important matters, like who is an NRI, would have to be considered, as I remember the last time there was some cheating with teams fielding players based in Goa who originally worked in the Gulf," he further said.

Coutinho said the idea was certainly worth considering, but added that executing it would not be a walk in the park.

"Yes, I am thinking about it. It can be made possible. But it will not be like a picnic. It will need a lot of work," Coutinho told IANS.

Football gets the better of cricket in soccer crazy Goa, which has had several teams like the Dempo Sports Club, Salgaocar Sports Club and Churchill Brothers top the national football league championship s. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has recently declared football a state sport.

(Mayabhushan Nagvenkar can be contacted at mayabhushan.n@ians.in)

THE MOST THANKLESS JOB IN THE WORLD

IF WE LOST…IT HAD TO BE THE DAMN REFEREE’S FAULT

So what should be the shape of the soccer ball, round or oval?   If a goalkeeper handles the ball outside the penalty area, is it a direct or indirect free kick?  Just a couple of questions and some of us would be lost to know the correct answers.  The right answer to question one  is ‘Spherical’ and to question two would be ‘a direct free kick’ but then most of us are not referees are we?  So we are not expected to know all the technical terms of the laws of the game…So how come when we are witnessing a local soccer match or watching one on TV, we somehow seem to know all the rules of the game and the poor referee is the butt  of our most expletive  vocabulary or even physical abuse?

IFRA coaching classes at IEAS for seniors and new recruits

They say a referee’s job is considered as one of the top 10 thankless jobs in the world.  Others in the top ten would be your local janitor, your high school teacher, the poor skyscraper window cleaner and of course your parents.  If a team loses a game, it had to be the damn referee’s fault!!!!

I have been a referee for quite a few years now and with IFRA in Kuwait (Indian Football Referees Association) the only organized Indian Soccer Referees Body in the Gulf which professionally conducts regular coaching classes for new recruits as well as qualified referees   and all referees have to answer a written examination before being graded into Class I, II or III.  The classes are conducted at Indian English Academic School (Don Bosco), and I must complement the school management for letting the referees use their premises for such a worthy cause.

A new recruit's first day on the job

The Association was formed in 1980 and headed by the Late Mr. Jerome Pascoal D’Mello (well known as J. P. D’Mello) who was an ex-FIFA referee and member of the Asian Football Confederation of Referees Committee and over the years others like Dominic Monserrate, A.E. D’Souza, and currently Sarto Baptista have led the Association.  When KIFF (Kuwait Indian Football Federation) was formed in 1983, IFRA was part and parcel of the Indian soccer scene in Kuwait and its members officiated all the regular and seven a side tournaments played at the Soor Grounds. 

Strange as it may sound, but although IFRA was formed to support the Indian soccer activities in Kuwait by the same people who run KIFF, it is no longer a part of KIFF activities due to clash of personal egos of SOME of the people who used to run KIFF as well as IFRA.   Today, KIFF has its own in-house referees, while IFRA members officiate other expatriate, Arab  and Keralite tournaments.

KEFAK Seven A Side tournament - IFRA Referees

Efforts are on to come to an amicable solution before the start of the 2012-13 season  as I believe both IFRA and KIFF share common objectives and  should complement each other, instead of squabbling over  minor and irrelevant issues.  The irony of the whole situation is that KIFF today conducts the most prestigious J.P. D’Mello Rolling Trophy League in memory of the very man who initiated IFRA, without using their services, while others including the newly formed KEFAK League (Kerala Expats Football Association – Kuwait), have taken the services of IFRA without any hesitation for an exclusive Keralite league featuring about  21 teams.

Worthy enough for KEFAK tournament, but not good enough for KIFF?

In the just concluded KIFF soccer season, quite a few fatal errors were made by the In-House referees resulting in physical abuse of referees, pitch invasion and discord among affiliate members.  Had these referees been better trained, some of the incidents would have never occurred.  Of course this does not mean IFRA referees are themselves beyond committing mistakes, and referees mistakes are part and parcel of not only local soccer, but as we have seen in International football as well, and that is why the referees have such a thankless job.  

Here’s hoping that better sense will prevail and KIFF and IFRA will work together in the future to join hands in training referees and promoting soccer among the youth in Kuwait.

Viva IFRA, Viva KIFF, Viva Soccer!!!!

Julio Cardoso

Kuwait

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER UNITY CUP - KUWAIT

RAMADAN 8 A SIDE SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN KUWAIT

St. Francis Xavier Unity Cup to start in first week of Ramadan

In a couple of weeks time the holy month of Ramadan will start in Kuwait and fasting from dawn to dusk is mandatory for all Muslims.  The rest of us  also show our respect by not eating or drinking in public or indulging in any activities that would insult our Muslim friends either at work, public places or at home.

There is one activity though that everybody indulges in during Ramadan, and that is ‘Soccer‘.  Just like us soccer mad Goans, our  Arab friends  too are crazy for soccer and since most people return early from work everyday,  you will find numerous tournaments  organized in the evenings during Ramadan  by Companies, Clubs and private associations, be it on the beach, mini astro-turf soccer arenas, rinks or football grounds,  and it is indeed a sight to behold seeing people playing the sport until wee hours of the morning.

We Indians too conduct various sporting activities during this month, with  

Don Bosco Oratory (DBO) having a full calendar with the  ‘Ramadan Sports Mania’, at the Indian English Academic School, Salmiya (IEAS)  for the popular 4 a side rink soccer tournament, the 7 a side box cricket tournamnet (ladies & gents), 7 a side throw ball tournamnet (ladies only) and an indoor Table Tennis and Carom Tournament.  More details for participation may be got by visiting the DBO group page on face book:   http://www.facebook.com/events/302576133171665/

However, the highlight during Ramadan for us Indians has to be the annual SFX Soccer Tournament for the ‘St Francis Xavier Unity Cup’ being organized for the third year running by the St. Francis Xavier Boys and played during the weekends.  The Third Edition of this unique open 8 A-side football tournaments for Indian expatriates in Kuwait will kick off in the first weekend of Ramadan 2012. Matches will be held in the evenings on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Digital Grounds and teams wishing to register must contact Nazy Azavedo – 9966 3252, Mariano Fernandes – 9756 9979, Albert Pinto – 9720 4128 or Joe Pereira – 9930 8291 before the limited slots are all taken.

Organizers of SXF Unity Cup: Albert Pinto, Mariano Fernandes, Nazy Azavedo and Joe Pereira

Besides giving a genuine pass time for players as well as football lovers during the  long lazy weekend evenings, the organizers have been distributing funds raised from this tournament to various charitable institutions in Goa.  The total amount collected in the last two edition was  Rs.230,000/- which was distributed between the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol and Divya Daya Trust in Colva.

Please keep visiting this page for updates and pictures of the draw and results.

Julio Cardoso - Kuwait

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